AUSTIN – Texas’ contentious new campus carry law will likely land public colleges and universities in court – no matter what approach school leaders take – University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven told lawmakers on Tuesday.

“We think it is likely that those rules will be subjected to legal challenges through lawsuits filed by persons on one side or the other of the debate,” McRaven said at the Senate State Affairs Committee, where he and other system chancellors testified.

Texans with handgun licenses have long been able to bring their concealed firearms onto public university grounds.

Under the new law, public schools can now bar concealed carry in only some buildings, so long as those gun-free zones are “reasonable” and don’t “generally prohibit” guns on campus. (Private schools can still completely prohibit guns.)

“I would be surprised and frankly disappointed if any of my presidents make the recommendation to ban handguns in classrooms or dormitories,” Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said, highlighting a couple points of contention.

Even as that debate continues – final plans are expected this spring – the chancellors offered some reassurance. They reported few issues from other campus carry states. And they predicted few costs associated with implementing the new law.

Here are a few other takeaways from the hearing – which also covered other Texas gun laws, including one that went into effect in January to let licensed Texans openly carry holstered handguns.

Though confusion remains over various aspects of Texas' new gun laws, a Harris County prosecutor and a top Texas Department of Public Safety official relayed no major problems with the start of open carry.

“The impact has been minimal,” said Luis Gonzalez, chief of the Texas Highway Patrol. “I wish I had some exciting stories to tell, but I don’t.”

In Harris County, officers have been told they can approach a person and ask if they have a handgun license, said county prosecutor Justin Wood. And if that person refuses, then that can produce reasonable suspicion to charge the person with unlawful carrying.

“Ninety-five percent of the time, a (license) holder is going to produce their license and say, “Mr. Officer, here’s my license,” he said, noting that other agencies are taking a different approach. “And everyone goes on about their day.”

Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, suggested that perhaps the Legislature should look at streamlining that process. There could be one sign for those wanting to bar all forms of carrying. And then another for those who just want to ban open carry, he said.

“If we make that change, you would not have to post both,” he said.

Cheaper gun license

Senate State Affairs Committee Chairwoman Joan Huffman, R-Houston, said there would likely be a push next year to lower the cost of what’s called the “license to carry.” Generally, the initial cost to get a handgun license is $140.

But due to a drafting quirk, the AG’s office will not investigate those kinds of complaints about open carry. That’s because two bills “made it to finish line around the same time” and didn’t end up jibing, said Deputy Attorney General Brantley Starr.